Tin Men
by Madartiste
Summary: What happens when the 7th member of the Legion Ex Machina decides to act? *complete*
1. Starting Point

Disclaimer: Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot belong to Dark Horse comics and Sony (I think.) Either way, they aren't mine. I'm not doing this for profit, (Hah! As if.) so don't bother suing me, I have no money anyway.

  


A/N: // // signifies thoughts

This is only the second piece of fan fiction I've ever written. Feel free to leave reviews... And wish me luck. I think I'll need it...

  


**Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot**: **Tin Men**

  


  


  


  


Chapter 1: Starting Point

  


"Awe, man..." Lt. Dwayne Hunter stared morosely at his reflection. Tugging idly at several strands of silvery hair amid the brown, he sighed in resignation, "How did this happen...?"

Mack snorted derisively from his position in the doorway, "Comes with the territory." He pointedly ran his fingers through thinning gray hair, "When you're saving the world every other day, you rack up the stress."

"Just be glad you're not going bald," Jo snickered. "Besides, it's a good shade of gray."

Dwayne looked up into the mirror. "Excuse me?" He asked her reflection.

"It's not the flat gray. It's that nice silvery one. You know, the one that makes you look... distinguished," she declared with a flourish of her hand.

"Him? Distinguished?" Mack indicated the younger man with a jerk of his thumb, "You're kidding, right?"

Dwayne cast his two crew mates a withering glance before turning back to the mirror for one last look. //Nope. Still there.// "I'm too young for this..." he muttered.

"If you're done admiring yourself, General Thorton wanted you shore side when they question Poindexter," Garth leaned past Mack as he passed the room, "You'd better get going."

"Yeah, yeah... I'm coming," Dwayne grumbled, grabbing his flight jacket and following Garth out into the hall.

"I can't believe there's still another Legion robot roaming around..." Jo shook her head as a gesture of incredulity, "After all the trouble they've caused and all the time we spent stomping them..."

"We?" Dwayne raised an eyebrow with a crooked smile.

"Hey, you'd be nothing without us," Garth lightly jabbed his friend with an elbow.

Holding his hands up in a mock gesture of surrender, Dwayne chuckled, "Okay, okay. Give credit where credit is due. Where would I be without you guys?"

"Probably in pieces... scattered all over the planet," Mack called over his shoulder, "Then again, I sure wouldn't want YOUR job."

"Sir," a young man saluted the group as they walked on to the deck, "Plane's fueled and ready to go."

"Nice," Dwayne nodded in thanks as he climbed into the cockpit.

"Hey, don't forget to fill us in later!" Jo called.

"Like I could ever keep you guys in the dark," Dwayne adjusted his flight helmet.

"Right, we wouldn't want to miss any details..." the young woman grinned mischievously, "You'll have to tell us all about how nice Dr. Slate looks today."

"What?!" scowling, Dwayne decided it would be safest to ignore the comment as he closed the cockpit's hatch, "Geez... They're never gonna let that rest, are they...?" Jo's jest had undoubtedly been sparked by the casual remark about Dr. Slate's appearance several days ago. For some reason, the rest of the Pit Crew had latched on to the statement as if it had been a proclamation of undying love. 

//Go figure...//

  


*** *** *** ***

  


"So... You're saying that number Seven is just like other six?" General Thorton anxiously leaned forward in his chair next to the hospital bed. He was clearly troubled by the prospect of another Legion robot running amok. 

"Up to a point... There were many significant differences, though," Dr. Roland Poindexter said cautiously, "He was never really finished... but what was done was... experimental."

"What do you mean?" Dr. Slate took a small step forward.

"I intended number Seven to be... different, to be more advanced," Poindexter gestured weakly, "It was going to be a... test. I wanted to see just how far the technology could go..." The trauma of the past months he had spent in captivity showed on his features. 

"That doesn't sound promising," Dwayne commented dryly, his arms crossed over his chest.

"But you said it was never finished..." Erica cut in.

"No... The body wasn't... but the programming was. The other six all suffered from the same problem... their AI's overpowered the emotion grid. You've all seen the results... I was sure I could find a solution - a way to make the two elements cooperate rather than conflict." 

"How successful were you?" Dr. Slate asked.

Poindexter's face betrayed his enthusiasm for his work, "I was making excellent progress. Number Seven was exhibiting all of the most basic emotions... happiness, anger, sadness... He was even beginning to tie some of the more complex emotions into it's intellect. Seven showed a certain amount of... pride in its advanced intelligence..."

Dr. Slate frowned. While she understood how a robotic creation could take on a special meaning for it's creator, it bothered her that Dr. Poindexter constantly referred to the Seven Legion robot as "he." She feared what the man's strong identification with the dangerous machine might mean in the future.

"If this thing doesn't have a body, though, it's not a threat... right?" Thorton watched the wounded doctor carefully.

"That's the trouble..." Poindexter began, "When the Legion raided my lab, they took what I had completed of Number Seven... among other things."

"Damn..." Thorton pinched the bridge of his nose in a gesture of consternation, "What're the chances they didn't decide to "help" their pal along?"

"Oh, probably not very good, General," Dwayne uncrossed his arms and moved closer to the bed, "So what're we going to be up against, Doc?"

"I can't be sure. If the Legion... assisted him, they could have made any number of modifications. But Number Seven is far more sophisticated than they were. I can't imagine he would have submitted to meddling by inferior machines..." Poindexter murmured.

"Sounds like it's got quite an attitude," Dwayne said.

"As I said, Number Seven was rather... proud of himself."

"The Legion would only have needed to supply Number Seven with the necessary equipment..." Dr. Slate warned. 

"If the Legion took Number Seven, where is it?" Dwayne gestured to indicated his frustration, "We took the base apart and didn't find any sign of a seventh Legion robot. Dr. Slate and the others went through every last file in the system and came up with zilch."

"It's possible that Number Seven may have returned home..." Poindexter said thoughtfully.

"You mean, back to your trailer?" Dr. Slate offered.

"Precisely. There were unfinished components for him still there..."

"Uh... It was destroyed..." Thorton averted his gaze, "The Legion didn't seem to want anyone poking around there."

"Oh dear..." Poindexter breathed, "That's terrible... All my equipment..."

"It also leaves us with no clues," Dwayne muttered.

"Please... I have another concern," reaching up, Poindexter gently touched the Lieutenant's arm, "There was a young man named Matthew... He is my... assistant. I'm not sure what happened to him... It's entirely possible the Legion could have taken him..."

"Hey, don't sweat it, Doc," with a reassuring smile, Dwayne patted the older man's hand, "We'll find the kid. We didn't see him in the Legion's headquarters, so I'm sure he's just decided to hide out and lay low for a while."

The doctor grimaced, "I hope you're right... I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to him..."

"I'm afraid the Legion takes priority over your missing person, Dr. Poindexter," General Thorton stood, "Right now we need to find out if that robot really is still roaming around... I'll have a squad search the area near the Doctor's home. Other than that, we may just have to wait until this robot makes a move..."

As if on cue, the Big Guy Signal wailed. "Maybe we won't have to wait after all," Dwayne raised an eyebrow as he turned and ran out of the room. 

"Be careful!" Dr. Slate called after him.

"Aren't I always?" Dwayne winked at her over his shoulder.

With a resigned sigh, she sat down in one of the vacant chairs, "I only wish..."

  


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	2. Stand-Off

  


  


  


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Chapter 2: Stand-off

  


  


"What've we got?" Dwayne called to the other members of the pit crew as he joined them.

"Looks like someone's trashing a warehouse used to store robotics equipment," Garth responded.

"Yeah, someone BIG," Mack pointed to the small monitor which displayed a news feed. A massive, if hastily constructed, robot put a fist through the side of the warehouse, easily tearing down a large section of the wall. Only portions of the mechanical giant had been completed. It's skeletal infrastructure was visible through gaps in it's armored plating.

"Lovely. No rest for the weary, right?" the Lieutenant quipped as he worked at sealing his flight suit, "We good to go?"

"Big Guy's fit as a fiddle," Mack turned to him, "Try not to mark up the new paint job this time."

"Heh. Don't tell me," Dwayne indicated the image of the monstrous robot with his chin. With the ease of years of practice, he clambered up and into the Big Guy's cockpit, "Ready?" He called as the hatch sealed.

Garth's face appeared on one of the three screens before him, "Whenever you are."

"Good," Dwayne set his jaw determinedly, "Let's do this."

  


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Landing near the warehouse, Dwayne surveyed the situation, "Hmm... Looks like this one's choosy." The enormous machine selectively picked through the assortment of equipment inside, placing only certain components into the cavities in its chest.

"What's he doing, Big Guy?" Rusty hovered near the Big Guy's right shoulder.

"Can't be sure, son, but you can bet it isn't spring cleaning," Big Guy rumbled. With long strides, he approached the other giant, "Hey, there. I'm afraid we're gonna have to ask you to put those toys back."

The robot continued picking through the wreckage of the warehouse, seemingly unaware of the presence of others.

"How rude..." Dwayne muttered to himself.

"Looks like we'll have to get his attention..." Big Guy caught the other machines forearm as it reached down to grab another piece of equipment, "Maybe you didn't hear me..."

With no visible effort, the giant flung Big Guy over his head and several hundred feet away.

"Big Guy!" Rusty hollered, jetting over to where his mentor was righting himself, "You okay?"

"I'm fine, son, but our big friend over there packs quite a wallop. Be careful." 

"What do we do?" 

"Since he's not much of a conversationalist, I guess we'll have to take the direct approach," With a flourish, Big Guy raised his arms, revealing the assortment of guns and missiles housed in his upper arms. He fired on the machine with a gusto.

"Chew on that for a while," Dwayne grated, "Huh?" He watched in surprise as the volley of weapon fire disintegrated before even striking the robot. Faint blue sparks of energy appeared where the individual bullets hit.

"It must be some kind of... energy shield..." Big Guy dropped his arms, unsure of what to do next. "Beautiful," Dwayne muttered, "Why can't this ever be easy?"

"Wow... Maybe I should try!" Rusty aimed at the behemoth, a green glow signaling the use of his nucleoprotons.

"All right, but be care..." BOOM! "...ful..." Dwayne cringed inside the cockpit as Rusty's discharge was deflected by the shield and obliterated a good portion of the warehouse's contents.

"Ooops..." Rusty ducked his head in embarrassment. 

The rogue robot straightened and turned to face the duo.

"Well, THAT got his attention," Big Guy said.

"How troublesome," the machine chided in a chillingly familiar voice, "I had hoped the others had taken care of you. No such... luck, as you say."

"Nuts," Dwayne grumbled, "It's definitely Legion."

"There's no way you guys'll ever beat Big Guy," Rusty boasted. Dwayne felt a small smile edge its way on to his features. He couldn't help but feel a spark of pride in Rusty's confidence in the Big Guy.

"Yes... well... We'll just have to see about that, shan't we?" Much to Dwayne's surprise, the colossal robot laughed maniacally. 

"Shan't? Who the hell says 'shan't'?" Dwayne grumbled rhetorically. //There's something different about this robot...//

"As you've already discovered, your weapons are useless. Just what do you intend to do now?" the Legion machine asked snidely.

"Sometimes you gotta do things the old fashioned way," Big Guy shoulder blocked the Legion robot, taking it by surprise. With a crash, it toppled into a previously undamaged section of the warehouse. 

"Yay, Big Guy!" Rusty cheered, waving his arms excitedly.

"Oh, my," the nameless machine sat up and inspected itself, "You've given me... a dent. How... unfortunate." One of the damaged panels slide aside to reveal a laser which fired a wide beam at the Big Guy.

"Oof!" knocked backwards, Dwayne wrestled with the controls to right himself.

"Hey! No fair!" Rusty cried as he charged the offending robot.

"All's fair in love and war, I believe," it casually swatted the diminutive boy robot out of the sky.

"All right, buster. That's it!" Big Guy growled, "The kid gloves are off! Time to play hardball." Moving with surprising grace and speed for something so large, Big Guy scooped up a rather large chunk of the warehouse's demolished walls and jammed it into the laser cannon's opening. He follow with several rapid punches, knocking some of the loose armored plates from the other robot

"Lieutenant!" Dr. Slate's visage flashed onto one of the monitors, "Don't destroy it!"

"Huh?" distracted by the battle raging outside, Dwayne barely had time to glance at the Doctor.

"We might be able to get information from it." she explained quickly.

"Oh, right..." Dwayne jerked the controls to block a counter punch, "Standard procedure, right? Bring back it's cpu..."

The Legion machine staggered back several steps, "Well... It seems I've underestimated you... It shan't happen again..." Planting a hand on the Big Guy's torso, it released a massive electrical charge.

"Argh!!!" Dwayne clenched his teeth, trying to fight through the pain. Big Guy reeled and collapsed, his systems momentarily overloaded.

"You've been granted a reprieve, BGY-11. Your LAST."

Dwayne watched helplessly as the robot fled into the sky, "Damn... It's getting away..."

"Follow that robot, Lieutenant!" General Thorton shouted over the radio, "This might be our only chance to find out where this thing came from!"

"I'm on it... I think," flipping the switches for the backup circuitry, Dwayne managed to get Big Guy back to his feet.

"Son? You okay, son?" 

"Yeah... Sorry about that, Big Guy..." Rusty hung his head.

"Hey, chin up, Rusty. This isn't over yet," Big Guy leapt into the air in pursuit.

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	3. Show Down

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Chapter 3: Showdown

  


"Do you think he saw us?" Rusty asked anxiously. The duo had followed the damaged robot's emission trail to a small bunker nearly buried in the desert sand.

"Hard to say. Let's hope not. We don't need any more surprises." 

"What're we waiting for?"

"Back-up. No telling what's waiting for us in there." Dwayne had radioed the coordinates to General Thorton and the Pit Crew. Dr. Slate had insisted on accompanying them on the pretense that her expertise in robotics might come in handy, "Ah... The Cavalry has arrived..." Big Guy pointed to the approaching Osprey and squad of armored Army vehicles.

"What's the situation?" General Thorton's voice crackled over the comm system.

"Not sure, General," Dwayne responded, "I think we're going to have to take a chance and go in."

"I don't like it..." the General's voice sounded uncertain.

"Neither do I, but we don't have much choice. There's no sign of a defense system."

"All right... Proceed with caution. We've got your back."

Big Guy turned towards the boy robot, "Ready to go, son?"

"You bet! Let's get those legion guys!" Rusty exclaimed.

"Take it easy, Rusty. I'll go in first," following Rusty's affirmative nod, Big Guy cautiously moved to the bunker's entrance.

"Anybody home?" Dwayne joked to himself. He tensely touched the outer door and relaxed a bit when nothing happened. Maybe the Legion hadn't had enough time to rig up a security system. //One could always hope...//

"Maybe I should knock?" Big Guy dramatically drew back and arm and punch a hole in the steel, "Avon calling." With a powerful jerk, he pulled the door off it's hinges. Expecting an attack, the titanic robot peered into the darkness, "Huh... Nothing."

Casually tossing the ruined door aside, he stepped in, "Dark in here..." Dwayne switched on the head-lamps, swinging Big Guy's head from side to side to inspect the interior, "Looks like this goes underground."

"Wow..." Rusty glanced around as he follow the larger robot, "It's... empty..."

"Honey, I'm home..." Big Guy said softly as he turned the corner. The next instant, Dwayne felt a massive impact against the Big Guy's chest as he was propelled backwards and through the outer wall, "Yeeeahh!!" He Gritted his teeth against the jolt as he connected with the ground.

"Woah! We've got company!" Mack shouted as he saw Big Guy plow into the sand outside, raising a cloud of dust.

"It's the one from before," Jo remarked, watching the two big machines on the monitor.

"I missed you too," Big Guy quipped as he rose to his feet.

"How nice of you to come and visit," the Legion robot laughed, "You even gave me time to prepare myself."

"Just trying to be neighborly. And I even brought a house warming present," grabbing the previously discarded door, Big Guy swung it with all the force he could muster. Dwayne was rewarded with a satisfyingly loud collision. //Nice...//

The other robot staggered, "Oh dear... And I was so hoping for a toaster..."

"Huh?" Dwayne frowned. He'd never heard the other Legion machines making JOKES before... He didn't like it.

"You're surprised, I see... You're thinking that I'm not quite like the ones you've dealt with before," the robot chuckled, "How very true..."

//Creepy... It thinks too much like a... person...// "Number Seven, I presume?" Big Guy tossed the now thoroughly mangled door aside.

"Very astute for such an inferior being," Number Seven commented, circling Big Guy warily.

"Awe, you're making me blush," Big Guy jabbed at Number Seven to test it's reaction. 

"How very... human of you," the Legion robot caught his forearm, swinging the other machine in an arc before releasing him.

"Urgh!" Dwayne was rattled by the impact with the ground. He was definitely going to have some bruises in the morning.

"Big Guy! You okay?" Rusty grabbed his mentor's arm and helped him get to his feet.

"Nothing I can't handle, son," Big Guy eyed Number Seven, "But maybe we need to try something a little different..."

"Doc," Dwayne toggled the communications switch, "What do you think of this guy's energy shield?"

Erica pursed her lips in thought, "It only seems to work on projectile and energy weapons."

"Anyway to by-pass it?"

"It IS an energy based defense system... You might be able to overload it... Wait!" her eyes suddenly lit up as inspiration struck, "It might have a set perimeter..."

"Pardon?" Dwayne cocked an eyebrow.

"If it's only designed to deflect distance weapons, it might only function a set distance from the robot..." she explained quickly, "If you get close, you might be inside it!"

"Ah... Point-blank, huh?" Dwayne grinned, "What would I do without you, Doc?" He could have sworn he saw a slight blush appear on Slate's face before she turned off the display. //No... must've imagined it...//

"Guess we get up close... and personal!" Big Guy rumbled as he grappled with the larger robot, "Rusty! Point blank, son!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah!" Rusty eagerly flew near Number Seven. Concentrating, a bright green aura formed around his hands right before he fired a blast of nucleoprotons. The shot ripped through Number Seven's outer casing, burning away a large section of it's infrastructure.

"Yeaaarrgh!" Number Seven howled.

"Nice shot, son!" Big Guy called.

"Yesss... A v..ery nice shot..." the damaged robot sparked and jerked but managed to wrap it's arms about the Big Guy's torso, "But... I didn't expect to... win anyway..."

"Wha...?" Dwayne worked to free himself from the other robot's grasp. Something about this didn't feel right... If Seven hadn't been picking a fight to win, then there had to be some other agenda. //This could be bad...//

"You see..." Number Seven whispered, "I know your little secret." The robot laughed hysterically.

"Um... Need some help here," Dwayne called to his friends, apprehension beginning to gnaw at his gut. //There is no way this can end well...//

"No, no, no... There's no escape this time..." Number Seven snickered evilly as the armor protecting it's chest was released by the system that held it in place, dropping on to the sand below with a thud.

"What the...?" still struggling to shake off the robot's grip, Dwayne noticed a cluster of what looked like metal spikes that had been revealed. He froze as he realized what the machine's true purpose was, "Oh no..."

"This isn't... over..." Number Seven hissed. A loud bang accompanied the release of air that propelled the spikes outwards, shredding what was left of the Legion machine's central processing unit in its chest. 

"No!" Dr. Slate cried out as the metal spears impaled Big Guy, tearing through his torso and out the other side. She watched horrified from her position near General Thorton as Number Seven and the Big Guy tumbled to the ground. As the cloud of sand settled, neither machine moved.

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As the cloud of sand settled, neither machine moved. 


	4. Tragedy and Discovery

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Chapter 4: Tragedy and Discovery

  


  


"Big Guy!" Rusty dove down to assist him, trying to separate the two mammoth machines, "Big Guy, speak to me!"

"Lieutenant! Dwayne! Do you read?!" Jo called desperately into the microphone, "We've lost visual!"

"Man down! We've got a man down!" Garth shouted, "We need to get him out of there!"

"No..o..." Dwayne's weak voice came over the speakers, "Get... the kid..."

"Dwayne?! What happened? What's your status?!" Jo demanded.

"Kid... Don't... let him see... right?" 

"What's he worrying about that for right now?" Mack grumbled as he headed out.

"Dwayne, open the hatch!" Jo snapped, "Oh hell..." The middle screen flashed to life, albeit with a great deal of static. She could see the wounded pilot, several of the metal shafts piercing his body, "Don't be stubborn! You need help!" 

"No... Kid... Couldn't hurt... right?" He smiled weakly, "Besides... I think... I'm stuck..." A bead of sweat trickled down the side of his nose. Despite his attempt to hide it, it was obvious that he was in a great deal of pain. 

"Geez... All right, all right!" Jo flipped a switch next the microphone, not wanting to waste any more time arguing, "General, he won't come out till you send the kid away!"

"What!?" General Thorton touched the communications headset he wore, "Damn fool..." Reluctantly he turned to Dr. Slate, "Did you hear?" She nodded, still shaken. He watched her stricken face for a moment before making a decision, "Someone's got to check out the bunker too..."

"I'll go..." Dr. Slate responded, "It might help to have someone familiar with robotics..."

Reluctantly, Thorton agreed, "I'll send several men with you... And you should take Rusty. No telling what's down there." //It'll keep the kid busy too...//

By now a large number of people on the ground were surrounding the Big Guy. Ignoring them, Rusty laid a small hand on his friend's shoulder, "Big Guy... You're gonna be okay... aren't you?"

"Don..'t worr..y a..bout me..." Dwayne spoke slowly into the microphone that allowed him to be the Big Guy's voice. He could hear static, making it sound as if the robot were stuttering, "Ju..st be c..are..f..ul."

"Rusty..." Dr. Slate knelt down next to him, "Let's go... Let these men do their jobs... They'll take care of Big Guy..."

"You sure...?" Rusty watched the humans skeptically.

"Of course we will," Mack groused as he crawled up on to Big Guy's back, "What do you think we get paid for?"

Reassured by the presence of the Pit Crew, the boy robot allowed himself to be led away. Dr. Slate cast a worried glance over her shoulder before leaving.

"Okay, Dwayne, the kid's gone. Pop the hatch, will ya?" Jo pleaded. She was rewarded with the hissing sound that signaled the release of the seals, "How're you doing in there?"

"Not... too bad, considering..." Dwayne managed another smile. The pain had begun to fade almost immediately into numbness. He knew it was the effect of the shock his body had taken, but it was welcome at the moment.

"Awe geez... Look at this mess," Mack scowled as he inspected the damage. He pulled up on the hatch until he could see inside before looking over at General Thorton who was waiting down below, "Think we might need to cut 'im out... This could take a while..."

  


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Dr. Slate inspected the mainframe computer that had been constructed in the heart of the bunker. Running the flashlight's beam across the panels, she found what she had been looking for. With a few keystrokes, she activated the emergency lighting. The vast room was bathed in an eerie red glow.

The soldiers General Thorton had sent with her all seemed on edge, not that she blamed them. Rusty, on the other hand, was intrigued by the new place, eager to explore. Several times she had needed to call him back to the group.

"Wow..." Rusty whispered, "Look at this!" He pointed to the skeletal frame of another large robot. It was surrounded by scaffolding, pieces of wiring and metal hanging off as if the construction had been hastily aborted.

"Hmm..." after considering the boy robot's discovery for a moment, Dr. Slate turned her attention back to the computer, nimble fingers working across the keypads. There had to be something here... Schematics, plans, anything... Even if Number Seven was destroyed, it didn't mean that the Legion was no longer a threat. It didn't take a great imagination to realize that they might have implemented plans that would proceed even without the Legion's direct intervention. Besides... it helped to focus on something other than Lieutenant Hunter's terrible condition... //He'll be all right... He's pulled through before...//

Totally absorbed in her work, Dr. Slate didn't notice when Rusty wandered away. His shout of surprise, however, quickly drew her attention, "Rusty?!"

"Dr. Slate! Dr. Slate!" he cried excitedly, "I found someone!"

"Some... ONE?" following the boy robot's voice, she found him in an adjoining room. She was followed closely by the soldiers, their thick boots drumming on the metallic floor.

Backed into a corner was a young man, perhaps no more than seventeen or eighteen. The dark haired youth looked thoroughly surprised and more than a little frightened.

"Don't worry. We won't hurt you," Rusty soothed. His programming dictated that he never harm humans, but his emotion grid made him prefer that humans not be terrified of him, "We're the good guys!"

The young man stared at Rusty for a moment and then looked to Dr. Slate. His eyes flicked briefly to the soldiers' and their readied weapons before returning to Erica.

She smiled reassuringly and put her hand on Rusty's shoulder, "Are you Matthew?"

Startled that a stranger would know his name, the young man nodded, "Yes... Who... Who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Slate, a... friend of Dr. Poindexter. And this is Rusty."

"Hi!" Rusty enthusiastically waved at him. Dr. Slate indicated that the guards should lower their weapons.

"Uh... Hi..." Matthew said uncertainly, though he was visibly beginning to relax.

"Are you hurt," Dr. Slate asked as she moved closer. Giving him a cursory examination for wounds, something caught her eye, "Wait... What's this?" Gently taking his arm, she noticed metal plates that had been grafted on to the skin. They sported various ports for connections and a similar one wrapped the right side of his neck. Studying them for a moment, she raised her head to look at the young man, "I think I'll need to have a talk with Dr. Poindexter..."

  


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Thorton paced anxiously as the crew worked with plasma torches to cut apart the metal spikes. They were loosing precious time with the effort, but he knew it was necessary. The Lieutenant remained conscious through most of the procedure, drifting in and out at times.

"Got it!" Garth declared as his torch sheared the last spike, "Okay, guys! Lift him out!" Having completely removed the cockpit hatch, they were able to pull Dwayne up without any obstruction. The lieutenant groaned, hanging limply.

"Sir! There are vehicles approaching!" A young private saluted the General.

"What?!" Thorton whirled around. Squinting, he could see a cloud of dust. "Media..." he muttered. //Like we need any MORE people to find out Big Guy's not so little secret...// "All right, people! Get the Lieutenant to a hospital ASAP." With a gesture to the now vacant cockpit, he ordered, "And cover up that hole!" 

  


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	5. Strength and Words

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Chapter 5: Strength and Words

  


"How is he?" Erica asked fearfully. She had come as soon as she could find out where they had taken Lieutenant Hunter. Biting her lip, the young woman looked around for any signs of the wounded man.

General Thorton rested a comforting hand on her shoulder, "He's in surgery..."

"We don't know a damn thing," Mack snarled, obviously not pleased with the lack of information. Of all of them, the gruff older man was having the most difficult time dealing with the situation.

"The doctors said they'd tell us as soon as they know..." Jo offered, trying to console both Dr. Slate and Mack.

"Speaking of which..." Garth stood abruptly as a man in surgical garb approached them.

"General..." the doctor nodded politely first to Thorton, then to everyone else, "We managed to repair some of the damage... but there was a great deal of it.."

"Well, what does that mean?" Mack demanded impatiently.

The man sighed wearily, "The short version would be that he's still in critical condition. We did what we could, but I'm afraid we can't make any guarantees right now..." Folding his hands, the doctor continued, "If he survives the next twelve hours, he just might recover. Other than that, we'll have to wait and see."

"Thank you Dr. Fetten," Thorton murmured. After the weary doctor had taken his leave, the General cleared his throat, "Well, you heard the man. No sense in all of us standing around here. Big Guy still needs to be repaired... and I think we could all use some shut eye."

"Yeah, like we're really gonna sleep," Jo heaved a sigh as she followed her two crew mates down the hall. Perhaps fortunately, there was a lot of work to be done to mend the Big Guy. At least they would have something to occupy themselves while they waited for news.

"Dr. Slate..." Thorton began, gently taking her arm, "You need rest too. Besides, Rusty'll need someone to tell him everything's going to be all right."

She nodded and gave him a wan smile, "Of course... But... You'll keep me informed..?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Thorton replied with a smile.

  


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"You experimented on a human!?" Dr. Slate was livid. //Of all the irresponsible, unethical things to do...//

"No, no!" Dr. Poindexter waved his hands in a defensive gesture, "You don't understand! He would have died!" The older man sighed and sagged in defeat, "Matthew was badly injured in a car accident. His parents were killed, and there was nothing the doctors could do for him..."

"So you decided to take it upon yourself to save him..." frowning, Erica let him continue.

"What else was I supposed to do? I couldn't just let him die..." spreading his hands helplessly, Dr. Poindexter searched the young woman's face for any sign of understanding.

"But why him?" She questioned. Erica was certain there was something more to the situation than was being said.

Averting his eyes, Dr. Poindexter whispered, "He's my grandson..."

Dr. Slate's mouth formed a silent "oh" of surprise. She had been unaware that Dr. Poindexter even HAD children, let alone grandchildren. Clearing her throat, she could only say, "I see..."

The man sank into a nearby chair, "I... know it was probably the wrong thing to do..." he began, "but... I couldn't..." He looked up at Dr. Slate, "You... understand, don't you?"

She sighed, shaking her head, "Yes... I think so... Even so..."

"No, no... Don't go on. I KNOW what I did. I've thought about it for four years," dropping his head into his hands, Poindexter succumbed to the strain of the past months. //Too much has happened...//

Watching quietly, Dr. Slate bit her lip. //I should tell him...// "Lieutenant Hunter was badly hurt..."

His head snapped up in shock, "Hunter? The pilot? How?"

"In a battle with Number Seven..." she explained quickly.

Closing his eyes, Poindexter groaned, "Dear, God... I never expected... Will he be all right?" 

"I... don't know..." Erica admitted. It was a difficult thing for her to say. Far more difficult than most people realized. The uncertainty was beginning to wear away her strength.

"Hunter... I remember him," Poindexter dropped his eyes to stare at the floor. He couldn't stand the pain in the young woman's eyes. "He was one of the original pilots on the BGY project... Good man... The best of the lot..."

"Yes..." she agreed quietly, "He is..."

  


  


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"Dr. Slate!" Rusty tugged on her lab coat, "Why are we here?"

She smiled faintly down at the boy robot. After her talk with Dr. Poindexter, she had returned to Quark Tower to check on her creation. She had intended to head straight to the hospital afterwards, but Rusty had insisted on accompanying her.

His cherubic face became clouded with concern, "You're not sick, are you?"

With a gentle pat on the head, she allayed his fears, "No... I'm here to see someone..." She paused near Dwayne's room where two military guards were stationed. //They're not taking any chances...// After checking her I.D., they stepped aside and politely opened the door for her.

"Who's in there?" Rusty paid the guards little attention as he went to follow Dr. Slate.

She turned and knelt in front of him, deciding it would be best to prepare the young robot, "Lieutenant Hunter was hurt very badly... during the fight with Number Seven..."

"Hurt...? How?" Rusty's mouth turned down in a frown.

"He... was trying to help Big Guy..." Dr. Slate explained, searching for a suitable answer, "He was hit by shrapnel..."

Luckily, the robot wasn't as interested in the circumstances of the Lieutenant's injury as he was in Dwayne's condition. Moving around the still kneeling doctor, he went to Dwayne's bedside. He gently laid a hand on the covers, remaining silent as he studied the wounded human. Dr. Slate joined him after a moment.

"What're all those wires?" Rusty pointed to the I.V., respirator, and heart monitor. He had never been in a hospital before, and the equipment was all very new to him.

"Those help... keep him alive..." Dr. Slate sought a more appropriate answer but found none.

"Why don't they just fix him?"

Erica tipped her head to look at Rusty, "We've talked about this before, remember? You can't repair humans like you do robots. They have to heal, which takes time."

"Oh..." Rusty murmured, "Right..." After a moment of silence, he spoke again, "He's gonna be okay too, right? Just like Big Guy?"

"I... I don't know, Rusty," Dr. Slate knew it was best to tell the boy robot the truth, "His injuries are very bad..." //I knew I would need to explain this someday...// "Sometimes... if a human is hurt too badly, they... can't heal..."

Rusty glanced up at her, recognizing the tone of her voice as the one she used to tell him serious things, "What happens then?"

"They... die..." she whispered, not truly wanting to consider the possibility. //He'll be fine... He has to be fine...//

"Die?" Rusty frowned. It wasn't the first time they had spoken of such things, though never in such a way before, "You mean like when a robot is deactivated..."

"Something like that," Dr. Slate smiled thinly. It was as apt a comparison as she could think of.

Another moment of quiet passed before Rusty spoke again, "Is Lieutenant Dwayne gonna... die?" His voice was soft, as if fearing the answer. He liked Lieutenant Dwayne...

Putting her hand on Rusty's shoulder, Dr. Slate answered truthfully, "I hope not, Rusty, I hope not..."

*************************************************

ayne gonna... die?" His voice was soft, as if fearing the answer. He liked Lieutenant Dwayne... 

Putting her hand on Rusty's shoulder, Dr. Slate answered truthfully, "I hope not, Rusty, I hope not..."

**** **** **** ****

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	6. War and Peace

A/N: In an answer to Katie's question, blame it on the stress! Besides, it's only a couple of hairs. Actually, I do know quite a few people who've gone gray early. Mostly it's just at the temples and such, though. I figured with such a high stress job, Dwayne's bound to get a least a few gray hairs. ;) Thanks for the kind responses from everyone! I hope I can manage to keep you entertained for at least a little while.

  


  


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Chapter 6: War and Peace

  


  


Sitting silently at her desk, Dr. Slate tinkered idly with a small motor. Her single desk lamp bathed the small corner of the room in a dreary yellow light. Quark Tower was mostly dark, the other employees having gone home. Rusty had powered down hours ago, but she couldn't quite convince herself that it was time to leave. Erica didn't feel much like going to sleep at the moment. 

The motor in her hands whirred and clicked softly as she made several more fine adjustments. In truth, her mind wasn't really on the device she worked on. It was more an excuse to have something to do with her hands and to stay late. 

//He'll be fine... Lieutenant Hunter always makes it through...//

Picking up a needle shaped tool, Dr. Slate carefully extended a fragile spring. She paused, listening carefully to the sound the motor was making, and then nodded in satisfaction. Setting it down on the desk, she watched the machine for a while. 

//He'll be fine... He has to be fine...//

She let her thoughts drift to Dr. Poindexter and his grandson. None of the files she had seen indicated that the doctor had any children. She had been taken by surprised when he had revealed the truth to her. Evidently, Poindexter's brother had a daughter whom he was very fond of. When his brother and sister-in-law died in a plane crash, Poindexter had taken the girl in and adopted her.

It was a rather sad story. The doctor had lost his only brother and then later his niece and adopted daughter. No wonder he had been willing to try anything to save his grandson. There was something about Matthew, though, that just seemed... odd to her. Dr. Slate wasn't quite sure why she felt that way and wasn't willing to tell anyone until she figured it out.

With a sigh, Erica leaned back in her chair. She rolled her shoulders to stretch out a kink that had been building in her back. It had been a terribly long day...

//He'll be fine... Oh, please, let him be all right...//

Surrendering to the emotion that had been gnawing at her ever since the battle with Number Seven, Erica took off her glasses with a trembling hand. Tears threatened to spill down her face, and she quickly wiped them away.

Why was this man so important to her? She barely knew him. They were only friends! Ever since she had discovered the truth about Big Guy, Erica had found herself drawn more and more to the handsome Lieutenant. She had never imagined that a human was the one responsible for saving the Earth time and time again. He constantly put himself at risk but never received the recognition for his sacrifices.

//Please don't die...//

She sniffled and sought a tissue in her pockets. Finding none, she heaved another sigh and let her face rest in her hands.

Rusty had been unusually subdued when they returned from the hospital. He hadn't complained when she told him it was bed time. The diminutive robot had liked Dwayne right away. He appreciated the human's willingness to let him talk to Big Guy when ever he wanted. Dwayne didn't ever yell at or ignore Rusty. He always seemed to have time to at least talk for a few moments. 

Erica had been surprised by the Lieutenant's kindness and patience. Most adults treated Rusty as they would a five year old. Admittedly, he frustrated and irritated her quite frequently too, but she tried very hard to be understanding. It wasn't easy, and she had been amazed by how easily Dwayne dealt with him. 

//He's a good man...//

Neither she nor Dwayne had much time for personal lives. Perhaps that was why she felt such a strong connection to him... They weren't really all that different. While she devoted her life to science and making the world a better place through it, he had devoted his to the country and protecting all the lives in it. He was a very brave man...

It stuck her then, the thought that Dwayne might die for his country and yet only a handful of people would ever know the truth. //How could they let that happen?// To keep the secret to protect the pride of the military seemed like such a sin. Of course, she knew that keeping the information classified protected the pilot of Big Guy as well, but it didn't quite seem reason enough to her. 

//What a terrible thing... The people he saved will never know...// Erica choked back a sob and laid her head down on her arm, crying silently into her sleeve.

  


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Jo sat out on the deserted flight deck, looking up at the vibrant moon and stars. The light they gave off was plenty to see by that night. It was quiet and she could hear the sound of the waves lapping at the hull. Somehow the serenity didn't seem appropriate...

"Mind some company?" Garth walked up next to her, hands in his pockets.

"Nah. It'd be nice. It's too quiet out here," patting the space next to her, Jo gave him a smile.

Sitting down, the tall man made himself comfortable, "Nice night, though."

"Yup."

"Should be good weather tomorrow too."

"Yeah... Heard it might rain the day after, though."

"Hmm... That'd be a shame..."

The pair lapsed into a comfortable silence, content with each others' company. Working so closely for such extended periods of time had taught the Pit Crew to enjoy being around other people. Despite the size of the air craft carrier, it was difficult not to be running into someone at every turn. Everybody eventually learned to deal with it.

"Hey," Mack sat down on the other side of Jo. He moved quietly for someone of his years and neither of the two younger crew members had heard him approach.

"Nice night, huh?" Jo said for lack of anything better.

"It's okay," Mack shrugged. He was much less vocal that usual. 

"Hey, down be so down," Garth said, "We all know Dwayne's a tough guy. He'll pull through. It's not going to help if we give up on him now."

"I know," Jo looked down at her hands which lay in her lap, "It's not like he's never been hurt before." Mack was conspicuously silent.

  


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Dr. Slate paused near the front doors of Quark Tower. She had promised to bring Dr. Poindexter to see her lab. Matthew, happy to be reunited with his grandfather, had begged to come as well. It was hardly an inconvenience, so she had readily agreed. He followed several steps behind the two scientists remaining silent.

"So this is Quark's new building..." Dr. Poindexter looked up at the tall structure, "It's quite nice compared to the old one."

"I never saw the previous building," Erica commented as she pushed open the door. She waved to the security guard behind the desk who smiled back, "I heard it was destroyed in a fire."

"Well, you could say that," Poindexter said, walking beside her, "Though the fire was started by an alien who tore up an oil tanker and hurled it at the building."

Dr. Slate stared at him, "Really?"

"Oh yes," he nodded solemnly, "Unfortunately, our BGY-7 prototype was destroyed during the combat. It did defeat the alien, however."

"I hadn't heard about that. There doesn't seem to be much information available about the earlier BGY models..." Dr. Slate let the sentence drift off as she turned her head, noticing Dr. Donovan coming down another hallway. //Oh great... Just what I need.//

Noticing her distracted gaze, Dr. Poindexter frowned, "Is something wrong?"

"Uh... It might be..." She cringed inwardly when she saw Donovan turn in their direction. After all the stress of the past two days, the last thing she needed was for her employer to be pestering her about some inconsequential project.

"Jenny... Is that who I think it is?" Donovan could barely contain his glee.

"That's Poindexter, right?" the chimp commented, glancing at the human.

"It is! Imagine that... I wonder if he needs a job..." Hurrying to catch the pair of scientists, he called out, "Oh, Dr. Slate!"

Erica rolled her eyes and came to a halt, "Great, just great..."

"Dr. Poindexter!" Donovan took the older man's hand and shook it vigorously, "I can't tell you what an honor it is to meet you. I'm a big fan of your work."

"Er... Yes..." Poindexter looked sideways at Dr. Slate who seemed more than a little irritated.

Erica reluctantly introduced the two men, "Dr. Poindexter, this is Dr. Axel Donovan, the CEO of Quark Industries." 

"So, tell me, are you working for anyone these days?" Donovan's beady eyes lit up with something akin to joy, but much closer to greed.

"No... No I'm not," Poindexter answered cautiously.

Smiling broadly, Donovan rubbed his hands together eagerly, "Perhaps you'd like a guided tour of Quark Tower. I'm sure you'd like to see our facilities..."

"Actually, Dr. Slate invited me to see her lab. It would be rude of me to keep her waiting, now wouldn't it?" clasping his hands behind his back, Dr. Poindexter favored the other man with a thin smile.

"Oh! Oh, yes, of course!" always one to capitalize on any opportunity, Donovan grabbed Erica's arm, "I'm afraid I'll have to borrow the lovely Dr. Slate for just a moment, however..." Pulling her off to the side, he whispered conspiratorially, "Make sure you're nice to this guy... If he needs anything, give it to him, understand? Just think of what a coup it would be to get him to work for Quark!"

Dragging her arm out of his grasp, Dr. Slate glared at him, "He's here as a guest. I'm not going to proposition him to take a job at Quarks." //His wallet is the only he ever cares about.//

Donovan scowled, "Fine, but make sure you treat him well. This is an chance I don't want screwed up."

Dr. Slate gave him an icy stare as she adjusted her glasses. She didn't appreciate Donovan's heavy handed management. Turning away she walked back to Dr. Poindexter and Matthew, "Let's go... Sorry about all that."

Poindexter smiled genially, "Don't worry about it. It certainly wasn't any fault of yours."

"Dr. Slate! Dr. Poindexter!" Rusty called. He was standing in the doorway to Erica's lab, grinning ecstatically.

"Hello, Rusty," Poindexter patted the robot on the head, "It's good to see you again." He followed Rusty inside, pausing to inspect the interior, "They seem to keep you well equipped."

"Only grudgingly," Dr. Slate said, "Donovan likes to cut out any unnecessary expenses..."

"I'm surprised you've managed to accomplish so much with someone like him hanging over your shoulder," Poindexter commented, studying the neucleoproton generator with great interest. 

"I consider myself lucky," Erica said with a small smile.

"Hey, Matthew, wanna play a game?" Rusty offered, hoping to make a new friend.

"No... not right now... But you can call me Matt if you'd like," the tall young man responded politely.

"Oh... okay," pleased with the concession, Rusty smiled.

"Amazing," Poindexter shook his head, "You've done something truly remarkable, Dr. Slate. I spent so much time fighting against the childish impulses of the emotion grid. It seems you've had far more success with the AI integration by just allowing it to be itself."

"Rusty's definitely one of a kind," she replied modestly, "I doubt I could have built him without your prior research into the field."

"Don't sell yourself short," he said, "Not many people could do what you have."

Unused to being complimented, Dr. Slate quickly changed the subject, "Can you tell me more about the implants you devised for humans? It seems like something that could potentially save a lot of lives."

Poindexter glanced at Matthew who was busy looking at some of the unfinished machines in the room, "Yes, it could. There are some draw backs, however. There's a high potential for rejection. It's not much different from transplant surgery. It takes a great deal of fine tuning to work around that. I don't think implants could ever really be standardized. It would require that they be constructed on an individual basis."

"I see..." Erica murmured.

"Unfortunately, custom designs would be expensive, prohibiting the general public from gaining access," he commented, "It's a pity..."

Dr. Slate watched Matthew moving about the room and decided that she needed to ask the question that had been plaguing her since she had first seen the young man, "Dr. Poindexter... were those external implants... necessary?"

"Pardon?" Poindexter blinked in surprised before he realized what she was asking, "Oh, no... Actually... I didn't do that..."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise, "Really? Who...?"

"The Legion," Matthew spoke without looking at the other two humans.

Frowning, Erica looked from Poindexter to Matthew and back, "Why would they do that? What did they hope to accomplish?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Poindexter admitted, "They don't seem to serve any logical function."

"Maybe we should remove them," Dr. Slate suggested. //Anything done by the Legion can't be good.//

"No. They don't bother me," Matthew responded, "They might actually be... useful at some point."

Dr. Slate frowned again. The young man's response troubled her, "Well, if you're sure..."

"Thank you for the offer. I'll keep it in mind," turning back to the neucleoproton generator, Matthew fell silent.

//Very strange...// Erica thought. Unable to find a reason to persist with the current topic, she faced Dr. Poindexter, "Why don't I show you the schematics I used to construct Rusty. I'd like to get your opinion on a few modifications I've been considering."

Poindexter grinned, "That'd be wonderful."

  


  


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	7. Abduction

A/N: Thanks again for the nice comments. Hope you enjoy the next chapter!

  


  


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Chapter 7: Abduction

  


  


"Aagh!" Mack snarled as he shook his right hand vigorously in the air. He paused to inspect his injury, deciding it wasn't enough to warrant much more attention. With a vicious glower for the panel that had snapped shut on his hand, he climbed down to stand next to Jo and Garth, "Sometimes I swear that thing does it on purpose..."

Jo gave him a sideways glance, "You think Big Guy's holding a grudge?"

Mack responded with a steady stare, "You think it's funny?"

She grinned, "You really want an answer?"

"... Not really," he muttered, turning to look at the massive robot which was seated in the hangar.

"So... Now what?" Garth asked. They had worked for the past three days to repair the damage to Big Guy. With that finished, it left the Pit Crew with very little to do... besides worry about their wounded friend...

"How 'bout charades?" Jo suggested with little feeling.

"Yeah. Cute," Mack grumbled.

"You got a better idea?" she calmly looked at the two men, waiting for an answer. After a long moment of silence, she shrugged, "Didn't think so... Guys, let's stop beating around the bush and go see Dwayne."

"I hate hospitals," Mack groused, defeated.

Garth nodded, "I'll second that."

************************************************************************

  


"Hey, it's the Doc," Jo waved to get Erica's attention as she exited Dwayne's hospital room. Rusty beamed, happy to see the other humans.

"Not surprised," Mack commented.

"Anything?" Jo asked expectantly as Dr. Slate approached the trio.

She shook her head sadly, "I'm afraid not... He still hasn't shown any signs of improvement."

"Damn..." Mack muttered.

"He's not doing worse, though," Garth pointed out determinedly, "Let's not give up on him yet."

"Did you feel something?" Jo frowned, suddenly on the alert.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Mack demanded.

"Almost like a miniature earthquake..." the blond young woman put her palm against a wall, "There... There it is again."

"Well, I felt that one," Garth said, looking somewhat disturbed.

"So did I," Rusty cocked his head to the side, listening, "I can hear it too."

The building suddenly shook violently, making it hard for the human's to maintain their balance. A loud noise came from the guarded hospital room. Flinging open the door, the soldiers stationed outside gaped in surprise. An enormous robot had put its fist through the wall.

"What the hell?!" Mack exclaimed as the group ran towards the door.

Reaching into the room, the mechanical hand grabbed the unconscious Lieutenant, paying little heed to the medical equipment he had been hooked up to. The robot draw it's arm out and deposited its human prize into a cavity in its chest. An armored plate slide into place, sealing Dwayne inside.

The soldiers fired several ineffectual shots at the monstrous machine. They could only look dismayed as the robot turned and began to amble away.

"And guess who forgot to bring their suit," Mack muttered, "Come on! Maybe we can catch that thing!" The Pit Crew raced down the hallway towards the stairs.

Rusty moved to follow the robot, but Dr. Slate called him back, "Rusty! You can't go alone! It's too dangerous."

"But, Dr. Slate... Big Guy can't..." he protested.

"I know, I know..." Erica bit down lightly on her lip. If the others couldn't get to a plane in time, they might lose track of the robot, "All right... Follow the robot... But stay out of sight, all right? Just follow it."

"Okay!" Rusty spun and flew out in pursuit of the gigantic machine.

Still standing in the doorway, Dr. Slate watched helplessly, "I hope I'm doing the right thing..."

  


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"There it is!" Jo pointed out the left hand window of the Osprey. Trailing behind the robot was Rusty who had radioed the position to the Crew.

"Great. So what do we do now?" Mack asked, "We didn't exactly pack the Big Guy in the trunk."

"Looks like we'll just have to tail it and see where it goes," Garth said, "We couldn't attack that thing without risking a hit to Dwayne anyway."

Jo studied the mechanical monster on a display screen, "Anyone else think that thing looks like the Legion 'bot from before?"

"Only someone actually finished this one," Mack commented.

"That'd explain why it nabbed Dwayne..." the young woman murmured, adjusting the monitor in order to get a better look at the machine.

"Looks like that thing is headed for the harbor," Garth gently banked the plane to follow the robot.

"What's it doing?" Jo frowned.

"Don't know... Maybe we can get a little closer..." Garth said, easing the Osprey to a lower altitude. 

Instantly, the robot halted. Rotating its head, the gargantuan machine tracked the plane as it turned in response to its stopping. 

"Whoah... Now what's it up to?" Mack muttered, bracing himself against the change in direction.

As the Osprey turned in front of the robot, it threw out an arm. The shriek of metal against metal accompanied a massive jolt to the plane as the left wing and engine were torn off, "Geez!" Garth fought for control of the crippled plane, "We've been tagged!"

"I'll say!" Garth grabbed hold of the co-pilot's seat to keep his balance, "This could get real ugly..."

Seeing the humans in danger, Rusty jetted past the other robot. Catching hold of the damaged side, the small robot kicked his feet out in front, using the thrusters in his boots to slow the plane, "Hang on!" Even with Rusty's best efforts, the impact with the water was jarring. 

"Ow..." Jo groaned from where she had been thrown on the floor.

"Damn..." Garth turned his head to look out the left-hand window, watching the giant robot descending into the water. By the time the three people had climbed out of the sinking plane, the machine had completely disappeared beneath the waves, "Great... NOW how do we find it?"

  


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"What happened?" Dr. Poindexter stared at the massive hole in the hospital wall.

"I think it was the robot we saw in the desert bunker," Dr. Slate said, "It was the same design as the first one... But I don't know who could be controlling it. Number Seven was destroyed..."

"Perhaps it's functioning on pre-programmed orders," Poindexter suggested, "It's entirely possible that Number Seven had a contingency plan..."

Frowning, Dr. Slate started towards the building's entrance, "Something about this just seems wrong... What are we missing?"

"Maybe we should go back to the bunker," Matthew proposed, "There could be a clue there."

"That's a good idea," Dr. Slate agreed, adjusting her glasses, "But shouldn't we wait for Rusty and the others?"

"It's impossible to tell how long they'll be," the young man reminded her, "We'd be wasting a great deal of time."

Dr. Slate nodded in ascent, "I suppose so... Time could be critical in this case. I'll stop by Quark Tower and get some equipment. We should be able to get some transportation too."

"Excellent," Poindexter said as they exited the building. Following the two scientists, Matthew merely smiled silently.

  


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	8. The Truth

A/N: Here's the next chapter. The last one should be on its way soon. Hope you enjoy it!

  


  


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Chapter 8: The Truth

  


  


  


Upon reaching the shore, the Pit Crew was greeted by General Thorton and a squad of soldiers. Rusty had carried them back one at a time, soaking wet. The plane had just sunk to the bottom of the harbor and a team was already making preparations to raise it again.

"Looks like you guys ran in to a problem," Thorton observed calmly, his hands clasped behind his back.

Wringing out his hat, Mack corrected him, "More like the problem ran into us. Damn thing swatted us like a fly."

"We need to get back to the Darkhorse, pronto," Jo said, "If we're going stand any kind of a chance against that thing, we'll need the Big Guy."

Rusty perked up at the mention of his mentor's name, "Big Guy's fixed?"

"Sure is, kid," Mack answered as he readjusted his cap, "And he's gonna get the Lieutenant back, isn't he?" the older man cast a sideways glance at Garth who nodded affirmatively.

"Hey... Where's Dr. Slate...?" Rusty asked, looking around, "Is she still at the hospital?"

Thorton frowned, "We just came from there... I saw her leaving with Dr. Poindexter. Said something about following a lead."

"Anybody else got a bad feeling about that?" Mack turned towards Jo and Garth.

Jo frowned, thinking for a moment before inspiration struck, "The bunker! If that thing really was a Legion robot, it might have gone there."

"What if we're wrong? We could lose a lot of time..." Garth warned.

"Yeah, but right now it's the only lead we've got," Jo pointed out.

Thorton nodded, "Right. Let's get going before it's too late."

  


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"Don't you think it was strange that there were no soldiers posted at the entrance?" Dr. Slate asked, "I thought Thorton wanted this place secured..." The beam of her small flashlight cut through the utter darkness of the bunker's interior.

"Maybe they're on coffee break..." Matthew suggested.

Dr. Slate stopped when she reached the main computer terminal, "Here we are. Let's get some lights on in here." While she was punching in the sequence on the keypads, it occurred to her that the lights had been left on when she and the soldiers had gone. //That's strange... Why would they turn out the lights...?//

The emergency lighting came to life, creating alternating shadows and patches of light. "That's better," Dr. Poindexter nodded in satisfaction.

"We searched the system last time we were here," Erica told him, "There was no indication of any contingency plans... Wait..." Moving away from the other two humans, Dr. Slate approached the massive robot she had seen on her previous trip, "Look! It's the same one... Only its been completed." Even standing dormant, the machine seemed menacing.

"That means... Lieutenant Hunter MUST be here somewhere!" Poindexter said emphatically, "We need to search... Huh? What's that?" Frowning, the scientist pointed towards something moving in the shadows.

Two man sized robots rolled out from the darkness. Each had a triangular torso and a pair of skeletal arms. They came to a halt several feet from the trio.

Dr. Slate backed away slowly, "I think we need to get out of here... now!" She spun around only to be confronted by another set of the mysterious robot guards. 

Poindexter glanced around, desperately searching for a means of escape. Only Matthew seemed undisturbed by the turn of events. "Leaving so soon?" with a gesture, he commanded the guardian robots to capture the two doctors.

"Matthew! What are you doing?!" Dr. Poindexter demanded as one of the machines grabbed his upper arms.

"Matthew? Oh, no, no, no, my good doctor. You seem to be mistaken," the young man smiled coldly.

Dr. Slate gasped in shock, "Number Seven!"

"Ah... You must be the lovely Dr. Slate..." Matthew smiled slowly, "I'm rather glad they didn't succeed in terminating you. What a waste that would have been. And the good Dr. Poindexter... How pleasant to see you again..." The young man's demeanor had changed completely. His manner was suddenly icy and confident.

"You downloaded a copy of yourself into Matthew's neural implant before you were destroyed!" she realized.

"Very clever... and also very correct. Of course I wasn't going to let such an inferior machine as the obsolete BGY-11 defeat me." Number Seven explained, "It was quite easy to create several copies of myself. I couldn't imagine a better hiding place than in a human you knew and trusted."

"Where's Lieutenant Hunter?!" Erica hissed, struggling to free herself from the grasp of the guardian robot.

"Oh, he's doing very well... Would you like to see him?" Number Seven turned away from the two humans and raised his hand towards a tall, cloudy tank of fluid. The dark liquid began to drain, revealing a slumped form.

  


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Outside of the bunker, Thorton's troops had assembled. Watching the sky with a pair of binoculars, he saw the sleek shape of the Legend-1 approaching, "Here they come."

Big Guy's landing produced a cloud of sand, "What's the situation, General?"

Rusty hovered anxiously near his right shoulder, "Are Dr. Slate and Dr. Poindexter okay?

Shaking his head, Thorton pointed towards the entrance, "It seems our big friend decided to put a padlock on his new doors. We haven't been able to get in."

"Maybe I can!" Rusty offered, "I'm small enough... I can fit through the air vents."

Thorton rubbed his jaw thoughtfully, "You mean the ventilation ducts? That might just work..."

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"Dwayne!" Dr. Slate cried, "What have you done to him?!"

Once emptied, the tank was opened by several robotic arms which moved along ceiling tracks that ran through the entire bunker. The hands grasped Dwayne and lifted him out, "As you can see, the Lieutenant is just fine... Better than fine in fact..." Number Seven commanded the arms with a gesture, and they gently set the man on his feet. Dwayne slowly raised his head to look at the trio.

"Oh... my..." Poindexter whispered.

Dwayne was dressed in a strange white suit affixed with silvery filaments which extended onto his bare flesh. They ran up his neck into his hair line and curved around his cheekbones, disappearing beneath his skin. His right arm sported several metal plates with various hook-ups. A single plate had been attached to the left side of his neck, providing a port for computer integration. The effect was rather eerie, if elegant.

"What do you think of my... improvements?" Number Seven laid a proprietary hand on the Lieutenant's shoulder, "I thought to myself, who would better appreciate such a gift than someone who has spent so much of his life pretending to BE a machine. Besides... We don't like to fail at anything."

"Lieutenant Hunter!" Dr. Slate called, hoping to invoke some kind of response. The man's face remained black, showing not even the slightest sign of recognition. Her heart sank as she realized that he was completely under the control of Number Seven.

Number Seven laughed, "Don't look so sad. The Lieutenant has received an incredible gift. He should consider himself... lucky. Can you imagine it? The perfect integration of man and machine, becoming so much more than either alone. Machine's are static. They cannot grow, not truly... Human's are imperfect by nature, but they do have advantages over machines. They can evolve... change... Amazing how such fragile things can adapt so quickly."

"You're insane!" Dr. Slate exclaimed.

With a smirk, Number Seven turned to the line of cylindrical tanks which were similar to the one Dwayne had been imprisoned in, "Oh, no need to fear, Dr. Slate. You and the good Dr. Poindexter will be joining him soon enough. I must admit that you will both be immensely useful..." He waved a hand idly, and the robotic guardians began to push the two humans forward.

"Hey! What're you doing to Dr. Slate!"

Number Seven whirled towards the voice, shocked, "What?!"

Rusty kicked out a ventilation screen and hopped down to the ground, running towards the group, "You leave her alone! Hey..." Skidding to a stop, he exclaimed excitedly, "Lieutenant Dwayne! Matthew! What're you doing here?"

"Rusty! Be careful!" Dr. Slate shouted, "Matthew is Number Seven!"

"What?" Rusty looked bewildered.

There was no time for anyone to react, however, as Big Guy crashed through the back wall. He paused to survey the situation, "Looks like the gang's all here..."

"Hmph," Number Seven sneered, "I anticipated your interference. Who better to stop the Big Guy than his... heh, chief mechanic. Lieutenant, disable the Big Guy."

"Dwayne..." Garth watched in surprise as his friend obeyed the order, "What's he doing?"

Putting his hand on the Big Guy's leg, Dwayne released an electrical discharge from one of the implants in his hand. Knowing the Big Guy's systems intimately, his attack was just the right frequency and charge to shut down the robot.

"Geez!" Garth struggled with the controls as all of the electrical systems shorted out, "Back-up... Negative... Damn! I've lost everything!" The cockpit had gone dark, and Big Guy collapsed on the ground.

"Big Guy!" Rusty cried, "Lieutenant Hunter, why did you do that?"

"He's not in control of himself," Dr. Slate told him, "He doesn't know what he's doing. You have to stop Matthew!"

Rusty turned in the air, looking towards the young human, "Matt? But..."

"Oh, how droll," Number Seven faked a yawn of boredom, "GR-4 and 5, take care of the boy robot." The two unoccupied guardbots headed towards Rusty at top speed.

"Yeah, right," Rusty fired off two blasts, incinerating the machines, "You let Dr. Slate and Dr. Poindexter go right now!" A third shot destroyed the robot holding Dr. Slate captive.

With a sigh, Number Seven turned to the gigantic robot that had been motionless in the corner, "ARG-5, stop him." The lens of the optical receptor slid open as it shuddered to life.

"Uh oh..." Rusty began to back up just as ARG-5 swung down its arm. The blow connected with a loud clang. The boy robot was driven into the floor.

"Rusty!" Dr. Slate cried in horror. She was certain his processor had been knocked off line when he didn't get up again. Running towards the central computer, she rapidly began typing., taking advantage of her freedom.

"And just what do you hope to accomplish..." Number Seven suddenly frowned, "Oh, no. We can't let you do that, now can we? Lieutenant... kill the doctor."

Dwayne emotionlessly reached out and grabbed her by the throat, lifting Dr. Slate into the air. She choked, trying to breath as he slowly added pressure.

"Stop this, Number Seven!" Poindexter shouted, "You won't gain anything by this!"

Number Seven simply shrugged, "She would have been useful as a member of the Legion. Now she will be useful as an example."

Erica looked into Dwayne's green eyes pleadingly. She searched desperately for any sign of his former self. "Please..." she gasped, "Don't do this..." When her words produced no response, she tried again, "You... know me! I'm your friend!" The dominated Lieutenant only squeezed harder. She clawed ineffectually at his hands. With her last breath, she tried to tell him how she felt, "Dwayne... I... I..."

Something seemed to give and the Lieutenant's face softened. He frowned in confusion, "E...Erica...?" 

Number Seven visibly tensed, "Lieutenant, do as I command."

Instead, Dwayne set Dr. Slate back on her feet, blinking as if just awakening, "Wha... what's happening...?"

"Dwayne!" she exclaimed, "Thank God..."

Number Seven snarled in frustration, "Blast it! What went wrong?!"

"You!" Dwayne's brows drew together and he set his jaw in determination, "You're the one behind this!" Stepping around Dr. Slate, he swung a punch at the Legion cyborg. Number Seven deftly dodge the attack and grabbed the man's forearm. The small square plate in his palm produced an electrical shock that drove Dwayne to his knees.

"Looks like I'll just have to kill you as well," Number Seven cackled, "ARG, capture Dr. Slate."

"Ohhh, Owe... My head..." Rusty slowly pushed himself up on his hands and knees. Looking around, he saw the giant robot reaching for Dr. Slate, "Hey, you! Keep your hands off her!" Jetting forward, the small robot rammed ARG-5, knocking it off balance. The enormous machine staggered, pulling some wires loose from the central computer terminal as it tried to right itself. Sparks shot from the black cables as they fell to the ground. The robot holding Dr. Poindexter was nearly sheared in half as one of the chords snapped around. Now free, the human scrambled to avoid being stepped on.

"What the hell is going on out there?!" Garth listened to what sounded like distant explosions outside the cockpit. Feeling around in the dark, he worked to restart the electrical systems.

Rusty released a blast of green energy which blew apart the ARG-5's leg. Unable to stand, the enormous machine crashed to the ground.

"Can't any of you do thing right?!" Number Seven placed the palm of his hand over Dwayne's face, giving off another burst of electricity. The Lieutenant made a choked noise before falling unconscious.

Acting while the cyborg was distracted, Dr. Slate carefully picked up one of the fallen wires. She moved up behind Number Seven, dragging the chord with her, "If you want something done right..." She pushed the live end of the cable against the neural port on his neck, "...do it yourself!"

Number Seven gasped as the electricity surged through the implant. He collapsed on the floor groaning, the port smoking slightly.

"Dr. Slate!" Rusty exclaimed as he flew towards her, "You... you killed him?"

She shook her head, "No! Look..." Matthew gingerly touched the plate on his neck, wincing in pain, "He'll be all right. The electrical surge was enough to momentarily overload his implant network. Number Seven's personality copy should have been completely erased."

Poindexter crouched down next to the young man, gently placing a hand on his shoulder, "Are you all right?"

Matthew sat up, still rubbing the side of his neck, "I... think so... What happened?"

The two adults exchanged looks. "You don't remember?" Poindexter asked.

"No..." glancing from one scientist to the other, Matthew looked befuddled, "Should I?"

"There!" Garth grinned triumphantly as the emergency battery kicked in.

"Big Guy!" Rusty ran over to the other robot who was finally beginning to get up, "You okay?"

"I'm just fine, kid... The Lieutenant just knocked me out for a bit there."

The sound of running footsteps drew the groups attention. Thorton and his squad of troops spilled into the room, weapons at the ready. Noticing that the crisis had passed, the General signaled the men to lower their weapons. "Is everyone all right?" he asked.

Dr. Slate nodded, "I think so, but we need to get Lieutenant Hunter and Matthew to a hospital."

Looking around at the damage that had been done during the fight, General Thorton frowned, "What the hell happened in here anyway?"

Dr. Poindexter smiled faintly, "I'm afraid that's a bit of a long story. However... I'll gladly tell you if you offer me a nice big cup of coffee."

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	9. The End?

A/N: Last chapter! Sorry it's so short. I fully intend to write some follow up stories later. Dwayne'll get to see a lot more page time. :) Thanks for sticking with me! I hope you enjoyed reading all this.

  


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Chapter 9: The End?

  


  


"Honestly, I don't remember anything that's happened over the past two months," Matthew sat on the edge of the hospital bed. Dr. Poindexter had removed most of the external implants that the Legion had made. Now, the only evidence they were ever there was the small bandages.

"It's probably better that way," Dr. Slate decided, "None of what happened was through any fault of your own."

"Something's been bothering me, though," Poindexter murmured, "Number Seven said that he had made SEVERAL copies of himself... We seem to have destroyed two - the first one that was in the ARG-4, and the one in Matthew... What if there are more?"

Dr. Slate pursed her lips, "I'm afraid will just have to wait and see."

General Thorton sighed, "How much does it take to get rid of these menaces...?"

"Don't sweat it," Jo said, leaning against the wall, "Sooner or later, we'll get 'em all."

"I'd rather sooner than later," Thorton grumbled.

Dr. Fetten entered the room, drawing the eyes of all assembled, "I have good news... Lieutenant Hunter is doing just fine." He immediately raised a hand to forestall any questions or comments, "He's awake now and before I say anything else, I'd like him to be present. If you'll follow me..."

"I'll stay with Matt," Dr. Poindexter said, gesturing to indicate that the rest should go. 

Dr. Slate, General Thorton, Rusty, and the Pit Crew followed Dr. Fetten to the ICU where Dwayne lay in a bed. "Hey, guys," he said, weakly raising a hand in greeting, "Where've you all been?"

Jo chuckled, "Where've we been? I think the question is where YOU'VE been!"

"Ah, you know me..." he smiled faintly.

Dr. Fetten cleared his throat to get everyone's attention, "As you can see, we had no trouble removing the external... pieces with Dr. Poindexter's instructions. I'm not entirely sure how, but you're wounds from before seem to have healed rather nicely. It's quite remarkable really..."

"Great..." Dwayne said, "So I'm cured?"

"Ahh... Not exactly..." the doctor hesitated before continuing, "We weren't able to take out everything..."

Mack frowned, "What'da you mean?"

He scratched his head, looking a bit uncomfortable, "You see... The extent of his previous injuries... Ahhh... Well... It seems that some of the implants were used to stabilize his condition. They took on the function of regulating his nervous, respiratory, and circulatory systems."

"So?" Dwayne found that he didn't like the way the doctor was hesitating in his explanation.

"Well..." Dr. Fetten licked his lips nervously, "When we tried to remove them, you went into cardiac arrest..."

Dr. Slate gasped, "His heart stopped?!"

"In short, yes," spreading his hands helplessly, the doctor shook his head, "I've never had anything like that happen... And as soon as we reconnected the implant, it remedied the... problem..."

Garth glanced at the others, "That doesn't sound good, does it?"

"After conferring with Dr. Poindexter, we decided that it would be best to leave things as they are..." Dr. Fetten said.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Dwayne struggled to sit up, "You are NOT leaving that stuff in me!"

"I'm afraid we have to..." sighing, Dr. Fetten sagged, "It seems that these implants have taken over for your nervous system, which, in turn, controls everything else. Removing them would be pretty much guaranteed to kill you. These components have begun to integrate themselves into your body, and they will continue to become more so. Even this early, you can't survive without them."

Dwayne looked pale, "Isn't there anything...?" Dr. Fetten shook his head negatively.

Rusty, who had been doing his best to follow the conversation, interrupted, "So.. does that mean Lieutenant Dwayne's part robot?" The gathered humans all turned to look at him, surprised. The small robot sheepishly ducked his head, unsure of exactly why they all stared at him, "What...?"

"Oh, Rusty..." Dr. Slate knelt down and gave her creation a hug.

"Part... robot?" Dwayne raised an eyebrow, "How creepy is that?"

Drawing himself up to his full height, Rusty raised his chin, "What's wrong with being part robot?"

The Lieutenant shook his head, "I'm NOT going to answer that... Someone else can field that one."

  


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After the others had left, Dr. Slate lingered at Dwayne's bedside. She tried several times to explain how happy she was that he was safe and sound but found that she couldn't quite force the words out. Instead, the two made small talk about what the weather had been like and what the Lieutenant had missed while he was... indisposed.

"Sounds like things were pretty exciting," Dwayne commented.

"I suppose so," Erica shrugged, staring at her hands in her lap.

Frowning, Dwayne reached out and gently touched her arm, "What's wrong, Doc? This isn't like you."

"Nothing's wrong," She told him, "Everyone's back where they're supposed to be."

Raising an eyebrow, Dwayne gave her a crooked grin, "So, did you miss me?"

Her response caught him off guard. Turning her face away, Dr. Slate covered her hand with her mouth. She didn't trust herself not to cry or do something equally embarrassing.

"Hey... It was a joke... Don't take me seriously, okay?" trying to cheer her up, Dwayne smiled, "They've got me doped up on all kinds of weird pain killers. I'm pretty much high as a kite."

Despite herself, a giggle escaped Dr. Slate, "I can imagine."

Satisfied, Dwayne settled back in bed, "You know, I'm going to be just fine here. You look like you need to get some sleep. Why don't you take the kid and head home?"

"If you're sure..." she said uncertainly as she rose from her seat.

"Yeah! I'll still be here tomorrow. Doesn't look like the doctors have much intention of letting me go anywhere."

"All right..." Dr. Slate smiled warmly as she started away. Before she had gotten too far, she paused and turned back for a moment, "I... I'm glad you're all right..."

Touched by her concern, Dwayne could only nod, "Thanks..."

Turning away, Dr. Slate collected Rusty and walked out of the ICU. Dwayne allowed himself to relax and stared at the ceiling. //What was that look in her eyes?// He found himself frowning as he considered her reaction. Shaking his head, Dwayne told himself that he hadn't seen anything other than the concern of one friend for another.

//But... what if it was more?// Allowing himself to ponder that rather appealing thought, Dwayne drifted off to sleep.

  


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